Trolley-catcher.



-PATE'NTED SEPT. 29, 1903.-

No. '740,3l3.

C. B. ROBERTSON.

TROLLEY 'CA'IUHERl APPLIGATION flLsnmzo. 1a, 1902.

No mmm.

- @M20/numana No` 740,313.` Patented September 29, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT'` OFFICE.

4CHARLES B. ROBERTSON, OFv OTTUMWA, IOXVA.

TRO ip LEYfQATCl-l ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,313, datedSeptember 29, 1903.

Application iiled December 13, 1902. Serial No. 135,088. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B.- ROBERT- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing atOttnmwa, in the county of Wapello and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inl Trolley-Catchers;v

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the. same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to trolley-catchers of that kind adapted when thetrolley-Wheel jumps its Wire to automatically draw down the trolley-poleto prevent it coming in contact with cross-wires or other obstacles. Itparticularly relates to that class ot' suchV devices in which thetrolley-rope is attached to a spring-Wheel which normally takes up slackin the rope and also to another wheel controlled by a more powerfulspring, having a trip or pawl release operated by sudden movement of therope, as when the wheel jumps the wire, causing the greater power of thestronger spring to check .the escape'of the rope and by winding the sameon the wheel.

pull the trolley-head down, as stated.

The object of the invention is to providea construction permittingordinary movement of the rope without throwing the larger and strongerspring-wheel into action.

A further object is to improve the hub and bearing construction of thewheels.

A further object is to provide an improved contact device for soundingan alarm Vwhen the trolley-wheel jumps the wire.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the devicewith the cover of the casing removed. Fig. 2 is a central crosssection.i

Referring specifically to the drawings, the casing of the device isindicated at 6 and its cover at 6a. A spindle 7 is fixed to the casingand forms the axial bearing-support for the wheels. The spindle has anannular iiange or sleeve 7 at one end spaced from the body of thespindle to receive one end of the hub 8a of the large Wheel 8. Theflange or lsulated from the pawl.

sleeve th usoverles the hub and forms a place y for the attachment, asat 9a, of the inner end 'of the large coiled spring 9, the outer end ofwhich is attached to the rim S" of the Wheel 8. This rim projects fromone side of the f web of the wheel. From the other side ofthe web agrooved or semicircular rim Sc'projects to receive the trolley-rope 10.

The small or inner wheel is indicated at ll, controlled bya spring 12,weaker than the fsprin'g 9,.which is attached at one end to an Aannularflange or sleeve 8d, projecting from the web of the wheel 8,'and at theother end to the grooved or semicircular rim 11a of the small Wheel, asat 12b. One end, of the hub 11b of thesmall Wheel lies within the space`between the hub 8a of the large wheel and the sleeve 8d, as shown, Thewheels 'rotate Vfreely on-the spindle and on cach other.

The grooved rims of the wheels are in alinement, and the trolley-ropeextends through a hole in the rim of the larger wheel and is attached tothe rim of the small wheel, as at rim of the large wheel and providedwith internal ratchet-teeth adapted to be engaged by a pawl 13, pivotedto the rim of the small wheel. This pawl acts by centrifugal'force underrapid turn of the small Wheel to engage the ratchet and lock the wheelstogether. VIt is normally held out of engagement by a spring 13a.

The escapement of the large wheel iscontrolled by a pawl 14, fixed tothe casing and having an eye 14, through which the trolleyrope passes.The pawl engages a notch 11b lin the rim of the large Wheel. The actionof the pawl controls the alarm attachment by means of a copper bar 15,attached to and in- 'When the pawl flies up or out, this bar contactswith and bridges between two terminals 16, closing a circuit whichactuates a bellor other alarm.

In the operation of this device the small wheel is free to move at alltimes and the tension of its spring holds the rope taut and also permitsordinary manipulation thereof, in which circumstances the pawl 13 isreand draw the trolley-pole down.

tained from engagement with the ratchet 12 by the spring 13; but suddenand rapid up- Ward movement of the rope rotates the small wheel withsufficient speed to cause the pawl to fly out and engage the ratchet.This produces a sudden stop, and the consequent jerk on the rope liftsthe pawl 14 from its notch, which releases the large wheel, the strengthof whose spring is sufficient to wind the rope At the same time thealarm is sounded to notify the conductor that the trolley-Wheel is off,as above described. y

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination,aspindlehavingaspaced sleeve thereon; a normallystopped Wheel the hub of which extends Within the sleeve, said Wheelhaving an annular ange spaced from the hub; a coiled spring connected atits inner end to the sleeve and at its outer end to the wheel; a pawlcontrolling` the release of said wheel; a normally free Wheel the hub ofWhich extends Within said liange; a spring attached at its inner end tothe iiange and at its outer end to the said free wheel; and atrolley-pole rope fastened to the freewheel and having slidingengagement with the other wheel and the pawl; substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with a trolley-pole rope, a normally stoppedspring-actuated ratchet- Wheel, and a pawl controlling,r the same, saidwheel and pawl having sliding engagement with the rope, of a free Wheelto which the rope is fastened, and a paWl carried by the free Wheel andacting by centrifugal force to engage the ratchet and lock the wheelstogether, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a trolley-pole rope, and a spring-actuatednormally stopped Winding-wheel, and a fre'e take-up Wheel, for the same,of means actuated by the rotation of the take-up Wheel to suddenly stopthe run of the rope, and means actuated by the stopped rope to releasethe Winding-'wheeL 4. rllhe combination with spring-actuated wheelshaving outer and inner alined rims, a

trolley-pole rope extending through a hole inthe outer rim and fastenedto the inner rim, and a pawl actuated by the rope and engaging the Wheelhaving the outer rim, to stop the same, of a centrifugally-operateddevice carried by the Wheel having the inner rim,

and means actuated by said device to stop.

the rope and thereby disengage said pawl.

5. The combination with a trolley-pole rope and winding-wheel for thesame, of a free Wheel to which this .rope is fastened, a paWl having aneye through Which the rope passes, normally engaging the Winding-wheeland holding the same against rotation, and means actuated by therotation of the free Wheel to stop the same and the escaping rope,Whereby the jerk of the rope will disengage the paWl and release theWinding-Wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof vI affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES B. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

A. L. WHEELER, T. F. NQRFOLK.

